Bailsoad-spike



L. E. ERICKSON.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1915.

1 1 95,4;52, Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

LEQNARD E. ERICKSON, 0F BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 232, ifii'il.

Application filed June 5, 1915. Serial No. 32,449.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, LEONARD E. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blue Earth, in the county of Faribault and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Spikes, of which the following is a specifiea tion.

This invention relates to an improved railroad spike and the principal object of the invention is to provide a spike so constructed as to prevent its working loose and to also prevent it from being moved to permit the rails to spread,

Another object of the invention is to provide a spike which is so constructed that the weight of the rails will serve to retain the spike in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide the spike with a shallow pocket to receive the edge of the base flange of the rail and to so construct the spike whereby the disengagement of the flange of the rail and the pocket may be accomplished prior to the withdrawal of the spike from the tie.

Another object of the invention is to provide the spike with an improved type of locking spur serving to prevent transverse movement of the rail.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the rail and tie in section and the spike in elevation. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved s )ike.

1 The rail 10 rests upon the tie 11 and is secured to the tie by means of the spike 12 which spike is driven into place by means of a. suitable hammer or other driving implement. Beneath the head 13 of the spike there is provided a lip 14: which engages the base of the rail and thus holds the rail in place upon the tie. The base 15 of the rail extends into the pocket 16 of the spike and thus the weight of the rail will serve to hold the spike in place and prevent it from hav ing any tendency toward vertical movement. The arm 17 which extends from the spike opposite the lip 14 terminates in a locking finger 18 having a shoulder 19 and a head 20.

Then the spike is driven into the tie it is placed with the point close to the base of the rail and the head 13 is then struck with a sledge hammer to drive the spike into the tie. After the spike has been driven into the tie a suflicient distance the finger 18 will penetrate the tie and the driving of the spike is then completed by selectively striking the head 13 of the spike or the head 20 of the finger. Therefore the spike will when completely driven be positioned as shown in 1 with the lip 1-1; engaging the rail base and the rail base fitting into the pocket 16, the spike being securely held in the position shown by means of the finger 18. The spike therefore cannot move vertically since it is held down by the rail and cannot move longitudinally of the tie since it is held in place by the finger 18. The rail will therefore be very securely held in place and will be prevented from having any spreading action which would tend to permit the wheels to leave the track.

Prior to the withdrawing of the spike, a tool may be engaged with the head 13 and operated with the raised portion 20 as a fulcrum to snap the base flange of the rail from engagement in the pocket 16. The

pull exerted on the spike by this operation is upwardly and perceptibly outwardly, as is obvious.

I have therefore provided a spike which will very securely hold the rail in place and which will also be very securely held in place itself, thus preventing any danger whatever of a wreck due to a spike slipping out of place. It should be noted that the head 13 extends beyond the side faces of the spike so that when desired to withdraw the spike a suitable removing tool can engage the head and thus the spike may be drawn out of the tie.

lVhat is claimed is In combination with a rail and a tie, a spike having a shank to penetrate the tie, a lip integral with said shank to engage the rail, said shank being provided with a shallow pocket subjacent the lip to receive the adjacent edge of the base flange of the rail and maintain the spike and rail against relative movement, an arm integral with and extending laterally from said shank, means integral with said arm, depending therefrom and engaging the tie, a head integral with said shank disposed above and in spaced re lation to said arm, and a raised portion in- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD E. ERIGKSON.

Witnesses G. E. MALVIN, GEO. A. KING.

tegral with said arm in spaced relation to said head; whereby a tool may be engaged with said head and operated with said raised portion as a fulcrum to efl ect disengagement of the base flange of the rail and the shallow pocket of the shank prior to the withdrawing operation of the entire spike.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

